


Don't Forget Me

by Dez101



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/M, Past Relationship(s), Slow Build, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2019-06-15 15:20:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 16,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15415863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dez101/pseuds/Dez101
Summary: He may not remember, but he can't forget.





	1. Chapter 1

A woman. That's all that the painting showed. But this woman held his attention. Her long black/blue hair framing a softly rounded face hidden in shadows. Slightly pouted lips the held a coral color . The small, lithe yet curved shape of her body , draped in fine materials with golden cuffs around her wrists and ankles. The thing that stood out the most the was the ring. On her left ring finger was a thin gold band adorned in bright pieces of sapphire and diamonds in the shape of a heart. The ring looked so familiar. He felt as though he had forgotten something very important. But then again he had forgotten everything about his past but this woman seemed key to all of that

"  _Promise me you won't forget."_

_"I promise my little bird."_

Yami shook his head at the portrait before him. This woman must've been important for her portrait to take up such a large portion of the Soul Room's wall. The door had appeared out of thin air as soon as he returned to the puzzle. He went inside without a second thought. Now here he was. He let his gaze wander around the room. An intricate bow and quiver set lay on a pedestal off to the side. Upon further inspection he saw a small carving of a dog howling at the moon on the quiver

_" Oh this thing. My aniki gave it to me._ "

Yami paused at the brief memory. Another important object it seemed. Yami moved to leave them room when something stopped him. A small pillow sat on the floor in a corner amongst a pile of jewels and gold. On the pillow was a masculine version of the ring in the portrait . The gems seemed to shine with an etheral glow. Yami felt something call to him and picked up the ring. Unbeknownst to him , the portrait behind him had stopped its pouting look and now held a pained smile , as if remembering something sad

_"I promise to love you f_ _orever."_

A flash of light overtook the room before immediate darkness settled in .

* * *

Yami awoke to a worried Yugi hovering over him .

" Yami are you ok?"

Yami merely shook his head positive and moved to rub his eyes when a glint of light caught Yugi's attention.

" Hey Yami? Where'd you get that ring ? "

Yami froze and looked at his hand . The same ring from the spirit room now adorned his left ring finger . He tried taking it off but it held fast . The ring had one more surprise though . Light danced around the golden band as words were etched into the precious metal .

" _Don't Forget Me_


	2. What Secrets We Keep

Kagome pov

I had always known that life was special and so were the people in it. However when I thought zpecial I didn't expect for my craz- eccentric grandfather's stories to be true . One minute I'm trying to catch my beloved cat Buyo . The next , I'm being dragged the the Bone Eaters well by Mistress Centipede. Its been three years since that day and the Final Battle was won . But I still lost something precious afterwards.

No pov

Kagome looked down at her necklace. The necklace itself wasn't anything special . Just a thin gold chain . What adorned the chain was another story. There resting on the chain was a thin gold band covered in sapphires and diamonds in the shape of a heart . Kagome clenched her hand around the ring, silent tears escaping dark lashes. Kagome had lost everything and yet nothing. Yes the group had won the Final Battle , but at a cost. Kagome had been carrying a deck of Duel Monster cards that day. A gift from her grandfather's younger brother, Maximilian Pegasus. Kagome had taken the cards with her to teach Shippo the game. Surprisingly, it was Sesshomaru who had taken to the strategic game . Sesshomaru had joined their group , but only out of respect for Kagome who had risked her life time and time again tine protect Rin. Sesshomaru said that Kagome was like an Inu mother , fiercely protective of her young. She remembered the day he adopted her into his pack like it was yesterday .

Flashback

" _Miko"_

_Kagome whirled around quickly to face her newsest ... traveling partner? Friend? Kagome considered the Daiyokai a friend but didn't know what he felt about their relationship._

_"Yes Sesshomaru ", Kagome replied , continuing on with her task of cooking dinner._

_"This Sesshomaru would like you to join his pack"_

_Kagome dropped her pot spoon and stared at Sesshomaru in shock. He had to be joking, right? Kagome considered pinching herself before Sesshomaru continued._

_" This Sesshomaru sees you worthy of being Alpha female of his pack. You have proven yourself to be a true Inu female at heart . This Sesshomaru would like to perform a blood bond to make you his official pack sister . Do accept this Sesshomaru's offer? "_

_Kagome just nodded numbly . Sesshomaru gently took Kagome's wrist and slit it along eith his own. He held the two wrists together as his yokai drew Kagome's energy to the surface, blending the two auras together . Once Sesshomaru let go of her wrist , Kagome inspected the appendage. There on her pulse point was a crescent moon identical to the one on Sesshomaru's forehead. Before she could even collect herself Sesshomaru handed her a silver bracelet with a single charm , a bow and arrows ._

_" This Sesshomaru has given you a special gift. Flow you miko ki into the charm"_

_Kagome nodded and dosas she was told. She was shocked to see the charm grow into an actual bow and quiver of arrows. Quiver was made from a strong yet smooth material that looked like ivory. The same was with the bow and arrows. Kagome gently traced the small , delicate carving of Sesshomaru in his true form howling at a crescent moon on the bow and quiver. She was cut off from her reverent thoughts when Sesshomaru spoke again._

"  _This Sesshomaru her this gift crafted for you from his fangs by the demon smith Totosi. The arrows will always return to the quiver after an amount of time and each item is impervious to damage. They will do well to protect yo-_

_Kagome didn't give the stoic inuyokai the chance to finish as she flung her arms around him in an unexpected embrace. Sesshomaru wasn't completely shocked and wrapped his arms limply around the short girl. Kagome mumbled something into his armor but he still heard it clearly, smiling gently._

_" Thank you , nee-chan"_

_End Flashback_

Kagome wiped her eyes as a few tears escaped when she looked at the Duel monster cards in her hand.

Demon Slayer Sister

Demon Slayer Brother

Little Kitsune

Demon Slayer Pet

Inu Boy

Wandering Monk

Twin Headed Dragon

Servant Toad

Demon's Ward

Lord of the West


	3. Day of the Tournament

Today was the first day of the Duel Tournament and Kagome was ready...ish. The game, while she had enjoyed it , brought on painful memories. The girl clutched the ring around her neck, willing away any unhappy thoughts. Kagome chose not to dwell on the past. Today was a day to spend with her family and that's exactly what she was gonna do .

* * *

Yugi and the Yami made their way to the tournament in a companionable silence, the sunlight casting a faint glint off of Yami's ring that only he and Yugi could see. The duo still knew nothing about the piece of jewelry. Yami had gone back into the puzzle to search for the soul room where he had first seen the ring, but the room was gone. All they knew was that the ring was an important piece of the pharaoh's life in the past. An important part that seemed to be mocking him. The ring refused to come off despite how hard he tried. Not only that , but when Yugi relinquished hold of his body to the spirit, the ring would appear on his finger. This caused some problems witht the tabloids. The press was practically hounding him over the significance of the new piece of jewelry. As if fans didn't bother him enough as it is. Though duo continued their journey through the crowds , looking for an opponent or battle to spectate.

"I summon the Servant Toad in Defense Mode!"

The duo stopped to look over at the voice that had called out the strange Duel Monster. They moved forward to see a beautiful girl with blue-black hair in a long ponytail and sapphire blue eyes. The girl wore a long sleeved white dress shirt with a blue button down suit vest, the sleeves of her shirt rolled up to her elbows. She had on a blue pleated miniskirt and white over the knee socks with a pair of black converse on her feet. On the field stood two duel monsters . The first one was a young girl wearing a checkered kimono and a side ponytail. The child was grinning wildly at the monster her mistress had summoned. Standing next to the girl was a toad-like imp carrying a two headed staff. The imp was holding his staff in a defensive position with an irritated look on its face . Neither monsters had high defence points .On the other side of the field was large , ogre like monster with a spiked club and an attack stat of 1000 .Things were not looking good for the girl and were about to get worse as the opposing duelist command the monster to attack the small female duel monster.

"Oh no you don't", the small female duelist called out , a determined looked on her delicate features," I activate the Servant Toad's special ability. If he is summoned in defense mode with Demon's ward on the field , he can take on any attack directed towards her."

The imp jump infront of the child just as the ogre swung his club , shattering upon impact. The female duelist grunted as her life points dropped by 200 , leaving her with only 800 life points left. She didn't look worried though. In fact she looked happy if only a little pained at the destruction of her moster as her opponent ended his turn.

"I activate the Demon's Ward special ability. If she is in danger and her loyal servant takes a hit for her , by sacrificing 100 of her attack points , I can special summon the Ice Prince himself , The Lord of the West", the girl cried out in triumph . As the card appeared on the field , a menancing aura encompassed the area , forcing the spectators and the ogre to take a step back. The small child on the field though only ran towards the card as a figure began to emerge from it. Out of the light stepped out a young man with long silvery-white hair that nearly touched the ground. He a fine white kimono and hakamas with a red hexagonal flower on his left collar and sleeve. His ballooned hakamas were tucked into polished black boots. On top of the outfit he wore a breast plate with a spiked ridge on his shoulder. The look was completed with three sheathed swords at his side. Piercing gold eyes looked down upon his opponent , almost daring him to touch his wards.

As Yugi and Yami watched the duel monster await his masters commands , Yami couldn't help but think that the young lord was  _alive._  The way he watched his opponent while petting the small girl's head seemed to aware of his surroundings. And if the wasn't enough the carefully veiled nod towards his master was definitely a sign. That was no ordinary monster.

"Lord of the West, chop that monster down to size!"

The duel monster smirked before raising one of his clawed hands , the nails glowing an acidic green. The man leapt forward , landing gracefully in front his prey. He then began to spin as though he were a ballerina, the acidic glow of his claws expanding into a whip that viciously tore into his enemy before it desintergrated , taking the rest of its master's life points with it.

The crowd was in shock. They barely registered what happened before them. The girl had been loosing. Now all of a sudden she  _won_. But they couldn't deny it . Her name was on the holograms winner spot.

Yami and Yugi stared in awe . Yugi was babbling something the his partner didn't hear. Kagome, huh. So that was her name. He was so caught up in his thoughts , he didn't even notice when the rest of the gang surrounded his aibou .

"Ay Yugi, who is that chick", a Brooklyn accent broke him out of his reverie. The spirit looked over at his partner's close friend , Joey Wheeler. Joey watched the girl who was now swarmed by the spectators of her match , offers for trade of her cards loud and clear.

'Her name's Kagome. Why you ask Joey?", the much shorter male questioned his friend.

"Because Yug,", Joey said while popping his collar,"she looks like she needs a prince charming."

The blonde New Yorker pushed his way throught the crowd to reach the petite girl at the center. But before he could reach her , a tall male with brown hair and a white trench coat wrapped the girl in a protective embrace before yelling and effectively silencing the crowd:

"Alright losers. Get away from my sister!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments. They make me happy and inspired. Thank you. And you can read more chapters at Dez101 on Fanfiction.net. I update faster there.


	4. Overprotective Brothers and Reincarnations

No Pov

"Alright losers. Get Away from my sister!"

Joey and the gang were shell shocked. There before them stood Seto Kaiba. Moneybags himself. And with his **_SISTER!_** As far as they and the rest of the public knew, there were only two Kaiba siblings , and even that was hard to believe sometimes with how sweet Mokuba is and how much of a jerk Kaiba is. To hear that he had a sister, and a pretty one at that...

They could only hope that the girl was nice like the younger of the Kaiba males.

Kagome squirmed in the taller teens firm grasp. If there was one thing she hated about her brother, it was his over-protectiveness. She already had to deal with one ice prince. She really didn't need to deal with another. The girl craned her neck to stare at Kaiba's face.

Wait...

WAS THAT A COM IN HIS EAR!?

* * *

He turned his back for one second. Just one and h managed to lose the midget known as his sister. In his own tournament no less. And nowhe had to rescue her from a crowd of simpletons. He had been frantic with worry. Not that anyone could tell. No even when frazzled he still a held a mask of cold indifference.

"Romario, call of the search. I got her."Seto spoke into the com in his ear.

"Right away,sir."

Seto could hear the rest of his search team telling each other their young mistress was safe. The helicopter pilot told him that he would land the chopper on the Kaiba Dome roof. Kaiba looked down at the significantly shorter female in his arms. He look of exasperation went ignored as he mentally put add a tracker to her Duel Disk and give her another bodyguard to his To-Do list.

She'd thank him later. _Not._

Right now he had to get her out of here and back to the stage so he could make his announcement. Mokuba would already be there waiting. Now he and Kagome just needed to get there. And it was at the opposite end of Kaiba Land. He felt his eyebrow tick. Damn KAgome and her bad habit of getting lost. Kaiba absently pressed a button on his belt.

Now. To deal with the loser squad.

"Oi," Joey yelled as the crowd disipated,"why didn't you tell us you had a sister?

"Because I don't like or associate with losers like you and neither does she." Kaiba snidely told the group as he checked Kagome over for any injuries. Not like there was any in the first place.

"What was that moneybags?" The blonde started rolling up his sleeves.

"Joey stop. Violence isn't the answer."

All eyes turned to the now taller King of Games. The spectral Yugi stood beside his body as Yami diffused the situation before it got out of hand. The spirit of the puzzle was better at dealing with Kaiba than him. As the spirit calmed down Joey, Yugi watched as Kagome turned around in her brother's grasp only to freeze as her eyes landed on Yami.

That was not a good sign.

* * *

Kagome froze when she turned around in her brother's arms, feeling left out of the conversation.

She wished she hadn't.

He was right there. The same man who loved her more than anything. The one she spent so many sleepless nights mourning. The one who picked up her broken pieces and didn't care if he got cut.

Her unforgettable.

He couldn't be real though. He died hundreds of years ago. This must be his reincarnation. Kagome barely felt her brother squeezing her arm gently. Only when he shook her did she check back iN.

"Yes, aniki?"

"Kagome are,you alright?"Seto asked his sister with the barest hint of worry.

"Yeah, sure. Just... remembering something... Can we go now? Mokuba must be looking for us."

Yugi watched the twos interaction in fascination. It wasn't everyday that someone saw _the_ Seto Kaiba acting human towards anyone other than Mokuba. Yugi heard the crunch of footsteps coming up behind him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his partner walk past him. But that wasn't what caught his attention. It was the ring. It was giving off a faint glow as he walked closers to the siblings. The glow went unnoticed by the others but Yugi knew he wasn't seeing things. The ring was up to something. He could feel it in his hair.

* * *

As he walked closers to Kagome and Kaiba, Yami felt the cold metal of ring suddenly grow warm. He ignored it though. He wished to introduce himself to the raven haired female and ask about her strange deck. She also seemed vaguely familiar to him. At that thought, he could've sworn he felt the ring hum but he ignored it.

"Hello Kagome. I'm Yugi Motion." The spirit of the Puzzle asked the slightly shorter female as he held out her hand to shake." Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you too"

As soon as she took his hand to shake, Yami felt the ring burn him. Thankfully he was able to play it off when Kaiba pushed him away.

"Alright losers, don't get used to talking to my sister. She may be nice but I don't wasn't your failure to rub off on her"

Everyone in the area looked up as the rumble of a jet stopped over head and cast it's large shadow. Above them, hovering in midair, was Kaiba's very own Luella Eyes White Dragon jet. A small circular platform lowered from the bottom and stopped in front of Kagome and her brother. The two stepped on and held on tightly to the pole as they were raised into the jet.

" Oh, and Yugi," Kaiba called out as the got higher." I will defeat you and take back my title."

With that, he was in the ship and blasted off in the direction of the Kaiba Dome.

* * *

As Kaiba flew towards the Dome to meet Mokuba , Kagome was looking out the window in the backseat, ignoring the spirit sitting next to her. The spirit could've looked beautiful if it wasn't for the fact that she had an extremely blank expression on her face. The woman had long black hair that was in a low ponytail and two loops. She had plain brown eyes and slightly pale skin. The woman wore a traditional priestess garb and had a plain longbow strapped to her back.

 _"You know... Ignoring me is not going to get me to go away_."

"No, but I was waiting for you to speak first."( _1)_

The ghostly female snorted at Kagome's answer she typed on her phone. The younger female was still fiery.

" _I can see the resemblance."_

Kagome continued to ignore the other female.

_"You miss him, don't you?"_

Kagome pressed her face into the glass of the window. She really didn't want to talk about it.

" _why don't you ask him out on a date?"_

Kagome whipped around with an angry look on her face. How dare she recommend such an idea! Kagome stopped however, when she saw the sad knowing look on the older female's face.

"You know I cant. I could never put someone in the same position I was in, Kikyo" she typed.

Kikyo wrapped her arms around Kagome in a ghostly embrace.

_"This is why you are so much better than us. You would never stoop as low as some of us would when we want happiness. You would put someone else's feelings above your own, even if they don't know it. You have a strength the rest of didn't. Genuine kindness. Even after all I did too you, you still chose to forgive me. I'm so sorry that the gods have done you wrong. Don't worry. Everything will be allright."_

Kagome silently broke down in the spectral embrace of a former enemy. She had a few minutes before the jet reached the Kaiba Dome and Seto was busy making sure was set over his com. That's all she needed to pick back up her still broken pieces.

A few minutes.

* * *

Mokuba waited on the balcony of Kaiba Dome for his older siblings. The crowd was patiently awaiting the announcement of the tournament's now late host. The were seconds away from becoming extremely rowdy a Blue Eyes White Dragon Jet stopped to hover above the balconey. Seto jumped from the jet with a jetpack on his back and his arms around a rather petite females waist. Said female had her arms wrapped tightly around the billionair's neck as the two descended from the jet, an irritated look on her face.

Mokuba barely held back the laughs when the two touched down. Kagome didn't know how to use the jetpacks. That's why she was supposed to wait with Mokuba and Seto would show up later. However due to her wandering off, she had to catch a ride with Seto and let him carry her. Which miffed her pride a bit. Kagome grumbled as she stood next to Mokuba as Seto stood in the spotlight, front and center.

"Duelists of Domino City, welcome to my tournament. The first day is over and now six are left. You all only have six days left to prove yourselves worthy of being duelist. Be warned though. I will be taking part in the tournament. So will my guest of honor."

Seto held out his hand for Kagome to walk forward and stand next to him. KAgome's beautiful features were now blown up on every screen in the city, a soft smile on her face.

"I would like to formally introduce my sister, Kagome Kaiba Higurashi."

* * *

That night as Yugi was sleeping, Yami wondered the halls of the puzzle. Every thing was the same though. Until he turned a random corner and saw a door that had disappeared weeks ago.

The door where he found the ring.

Yami walked into the room and saw that some things had changed. The painting was still there but now new items had appeared. The first new pedestal had a toy snake, a top and a few leaves and mushrooms.

_"I had a little boy once. He lost his parents and was all alone. So I became his mom and he my precious little baby"_

Yami paused at the memory. The voice was so familiar but he couldn't place it. So he moved to the next pedestal. A strand of purple beads and pink beads reated on the pillow. Yami gently picked up the beads trying to read the faint inscription on them.

" _Oh these. A friend of mine gave them to me after comlpeting my training. He was like a big brother. A perverted big brother... Damn lech."_

The spirit put down the beads as the next memory appeared. He desperately wished he new what they meant. Or at least gave a name to follow. All he got though was more questions. He was about to leave the room when he noticed a wardrobe nestled in the corner of the room. HE walked over to it and traced his hands over the delicate flowers and vines carved into it. Grasping a handle he opened it.

Inside the wardrobe was a long Egyptian styled dress. The white fabric was made from fine matrials and the jems decorating it rare. The dress seemed to long to be functional though. And it seemed to ceremonial to be a royals everyday wear. So what was it?

Just as he was about to grasp a separate piece of fabric next to the dress, he was suddenly force from the room. In the back of his mind, he vaguely heard two words.

_"I do"_


	5. Talking to the Moon

_Elsewhere from Yugi's place that same night_

Kagome stared out the window of her room at the Kaiba mansion. She had come straight up to her room after putting Mokuba to bed. Poor kid had a long day. They all did. From Mokuba making sure the tournament ran smoothly to Seto hunting her down to Kagome meeting the King of Games himself.

Yugi Motuo…

Kagome continued to stare at the moon, wondering if the gods were silently mocking their favorite plaything. She'd finally accepted that her beloved had died. Finally gotten over it and was enjoying what she had left. But then he had to show up and ruin everything. But she couldn't blame him for something he didn't know. Kagome also knew that despite this "second chance" to be with her dear, she would never take it. She couldn't do that to someone. She couldn't pursue Yugi and pretend he was the love she lost. It wouldn't be fair to him and she knew how it felt. To be only seen as a copy.

Kagome just sat there watching the same moon that she'd seen time and time again. She wondered if he was looking at it too.

_I know you're somewhere out there_

_Somewhere far away_

_I want you back_

_I want you back_

_My neighbors think I'm crazy_

_But they don't understand_

_You're all I had_

_You're all I had_

_At night when the stars light up my room_

_I sit by myself talking to the moon._

_Trying to get to you_

_In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too._

_Or am I a fool who sits alone talking to the moon?_

Kagome laughed bitterly as she finished singing that first part of that song. She heard it while on a trip to America with Seto. It summed up how she felt at the moment. Kagome took one last look of longing before heading to bed. She had enough of moping for one day. Right now the overly large canopy bed her brother insisted on putting in her equally overly large room .

Jeez…

She could fit the entire shrine in here…

As soon as her head hit the pillows, she was instantly dragged into the land of sleep.

She never heard her phone ringing.

* * *

_Kagome released the silvery white drawstring on her bow Sesshomaru had given her. She'd suspected that it was his hair which was why the string never snapped despite its soft, silky texture. Kagome watched as her arrow flew through the air and met its mark hit the half of the Shikon jewel in Naraku's chest. The vile half demon screamed in rage as he furiously clawed out the instantly purified jewel out of his chest. As soon as the jewel hit the ground, a small tornado zipped past the spider, taking the jewel halve with it. The whirlwind came to a stop in front of Kagome, revealing the wolf prince himself, Kouga. Kouga bowed low before the miko with a wolfish grin on his face. In his outstretched palm rested the half of Naraku's jewel and Kouga's shards._

" _M'lady"_

_Kagome took the Shikon pieces from Kouga and fused them with the chunk around her neck. All that was left was Kohaku's shard. But that was for another time. The Final Battle was still going on. Kagome looked around the battle field and watched her pack. They all sported some sort of injury. Kagome was glad that she'd left Rin and Shippo back at the village with Kaeda. Kagome notched another arrow and took aim at a severly weakened Naraku. Without his portion of the jewel, he'd lost a good chunk of his power. All she needed was one more hit. Just one more…_

" _LADY KAGOME!"_

" _MAMA!"_

_Kagome's blood turned to ice when she heard the screams. Everything to move in slow motion as she saw a puppet drag Shippo and Rin towards Naraku and be used as a shield against her arrow._

" _Well miko." Naraku smirked as he hid behind the children. " What are you going to do? Save your brats and hand over the jewel? Or let your arrow fly and kill me along with the fox? The girl may survive the purification of your powers but what about your dear Shippo? He's still a demon and holy powers purify demons."_

_Naraku watched as the entire pack of misfits plus Sesshomaru lower their weapons. They wouldn't risk the children. Good. Naraku held out his hand._

" _Hand over over the jewel, Kago-AAARG!"_

_Naraku couldn't finish as an arrow entered through his back and out his chest, forcing him to fall to his knees and drop Shippo and Rin. The two ran quickly to Kagome and hid behind her. All eyes looked at the figure standing behind the vile half-breed._

_There stood Kikiyo, her arm still raised from where she shot her arrow. The undead priestess swiftly crossed the battlefield to Kagome who she pulled into a hug. The two miko's finally got along after Inuyasha finally decided he still loved Kikyo. Kagome didn't hurt to much over it as she'd come to terms that she was only a sister in his eyes._

_The two drew apart and both readied another arrow. The rest of the group to this a clue to ready their strongest attacks. Even Jaken and Ah-Un were charging fiery attacks._

_Naraku realized he was gonna die. But he was gonna take them with him. He held up a stone tablet and began chanting, dark magic surrounding him._

_Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed his eyes at the half-breed. He knew it was up to something._

_Kagome forced as much of her powers as she could into her arrow before she let it fly. The arrow flew through the air in a brilliant pink glow. It struck the tablet dead center, shattering it, before peircing Naraku's heart. The resulting shockwave of dark magic and miko ki knocked Kagome off her feet and temporarily blinding when her vision cleared up, she nearly jumped for joy but she realised that Naraku wasn't the only to disappear. Everyone, Sesshomaru, Kouga, Kohaku, Sango , Mirouku, Jaken, Rin, Ah-Un, Kouga, InuYasha, even her baby Shippo…_

" _NonononononoNONONONONONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

_They were all gone._

_It wasn't until a few days later that Kagome found them. She was sitting under the god tree, looking at the scar in its bark where Inuyasha had been pinned to its trunk. She felt a slight tugging sensation coming from her duel deck stapped to her waist. As soon as her hand touched the cards, there was a flash of light and there before her stood her missing companions. They all looked confused, or in Sesshomaru's case, slightly annoyed._

" _Oh kami you guys are alright." Kagome rushed forward to hug them…_

_Only to run right through their bodies._

* * *

Kagome woke with a start. She hadn't dreamed about the Final Battle and how her family was bound to her deck in months. Kagome rubbed the sleep out of her eyes only for her eye to slightly twitch at the heartwarming scene.

Everyone was sprawled out sleeping on her bed in some way. Sesshomaru was sitting upright against her headboard with Rin's head in his lap. Jaken was being held in the girl's arms in what looked to be a sleeper hold. Ah-Un's body was on the floor with his two heads on her bed. Sango was sleeping with Mirouku's arms around her waist and a hand shaped mark in the middle of his face and Kirara between the two. Kouga was lying on his stomach with Shippo sleeping on the wolf prince's back, one paw twitching in the air. Inuyasha and Kikyo were cuddling on the far end of the bed.

Kagome shook her head and reached for her phone to check the time. 8:49. Kagome then notced several missed calls and a text from the same number. The phone rang again and Kagome quickly answered while climbing carefully out of bed as to not wake its occupants.

She quickly moved into her private bathroom and put the phone to her ear.

"Good morning dear. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Uncle Pegasus. And you."


	6. Weird Relatives

Kagome turned the taps on the tub on, watching as the large tub filled with warm water

"I'm well dear. How is your delightful brother Seto doing?"

"Still hates your guts, uncle. How you and grandfather are related is still a mystery to me. Then again your both crazy old men obsessed with the jobs." Kagome teasingly told her great uncle. She tried calling him Gruncle as a child however he said that it sounded like an " undignified American slang that made him sound old" and insisted on being called just uncle.

"Tsk tsk dear. We are not crazy. Just profound in our love for our lifestyle. Now, onto business. I have those new cards you asked for." Kagome almost dropped her phone in the water however her quick reflexes caught the device just before it disappeared under the thickly forming layer of bubbles. Kagome put the phone back to her ear before running to the bathroom door and peeking into her room. Everyone was still asleep. She went back in and sat her phone on its stand on the sink and put it on speaker.

"Are you serious, uncle?" she asked as she stripped out of her pajamas.

"Yes dear. All that left is for your dear brother to add the to the dual disks systems." Pegasus's voice rung out through the the large bathroom. Kagome dipped a foot into the water to test its temperature before easing her body into the tub.

"Thank you, uncle".

"You're welcome dear. Now tell me how things are doing. How are you holding up?"

Kagome sunk deeper into the water. She really didn't want to talk about the situation. Her uncle knew all about her adventures in the feudal era. His older brother told him everything.

" How about I call you back later, uncle? I'm in the bath."

"And? I know for a fact that you have me on speaker so we can continue talking. It's not like it's a video call. I can't see you and we haven't spoken in forever. Not only that but…."

Kagome could only groan as her great uncle droned on and on. The man sure could talk when ready. Maybe this is why Seto hated him. Well, besides the fact that he tried to take Seto's soul, company and Mokuba…

She idly wondered why the hell she always ended up with the weird family members.

* * *

Seto Kaiba sat at the kitchen table early that same morning with a large cup of black coffee as he waited for Kagome to come down for breakfast. Mokuba was still in bed after the long day he had the night before. As the teen drank the black liquid , a maid walked in and handed him the morning paper. Seto accepted the paper with a nod and unfolded it to the front cover.

Hidden Hime of the Kaiba Empire

Practically the whole front page was a picture of Kagome standing next to her brothers. Before being handed the paper, the young CEO had been scrolling through different news feeds and gossip tabloids that had mentioned Kagome. Whch happened to be all of them. Many were speculating on how he'd managed to hide the short female all this time. Others were commenting on the beauty of the "Hime of the Dueling Empire". Some had even gone as far as to qestion if she were worthy of being a Kaiba and wondered of her skills. It would seem that none of the reporters had seen her duel yesterday. His brows furrowed as he read another blog commenting on his sister's good looks and making comments on his chances to score a date with her. The blue eyed male raised a hand to his ear and spoke into his com.

"Antonio, you will join Grant and Jules on Kagome's protection detail."

"Yes, sir."

Add another bodyguard to watch Kagome: Check

Kaiba nodded to himself as he took another drink from his cup. As he went back to the paper, her heard a set of feet approaching the kitchen. He looked up briefly to see Mokuba climb into a chair before Kagome followed his actions.

"Morning Kagome, Mokuba."

"Morning Seto/Nee-san."

A maid placed a plate of blueberry waffles covered in strawberry syrup and slices with a tall glass of orange juice in front of each of the Kaiba siblings (AN/ I wish I could have a breakfast like this. But alas I am allergic to strawberries and oranges. )

Mokuba instantly dove into his breakfast, having been to tired to eat dinner last night. Kagome politely thanked the maid before eating her own meal at a sedate pace. Once she was finished, Kagome waited patiently for Seto to finish his coffee before speaking.

" Nee-san, I got a call from Uncle this morning."

His outward expression hadn't changed but Kagome saw the marginal tightening of the grip on his coffee.

"And he said that he had some new cards for me and all that was needed was for you to add them to the dual systems."

"Hn."

The blue eyed male put down his coffee and expectantly held out a hand to Kagome. Kagome removed her duel disk from her arm and gently handed it to her brother. She watched as the eldest Kaiba reached into the messenger bag next to him and pulled out a laptop. He then plugged Kagome's dual disk into the laptop and set to work. Kagome watched him work for a few seconds before getting up to put her dishes in the sink.

When Kagome left the table, Kaiba watched he carefully from the corner of his eye. When Mokuba finally finished, he put up his dishes before grabbing Kagome's hand and pulling her out the room. Kaiba unplugged the disk before pulling out a small screwdriver and removing a panel to place a small device to track Kagome even if she left the tournament's perimeter.

Add a tracker to her Duel Disk. Check.

The older male idly thought of the silver haired nuisance that he was forced to pretend to be civil with. His eyebrows twitched slightly in annoyance and anger veiled carefully behind a mask of cold mask of indifference. Most said that the look made him look scary but Kagome didn't mind. In fact, she fondly referred to him as an " ice prince".

In one swift and fluid movement , Kaiba stood with the Duel Disk and left the kitchen to meet his siblings at the helicopter pad behind the mansion. He stalked towards the copter, the strong gusts created by the spinning propellers blowing his coat out in a dramatic fashion. He climbed in and handed Kagome her duel disk wordlessly as Ronaldo handed him a tablet with a satellite image of Yugi Motuo summoning Kuriboh. Kaiba stared emotionlessly at the screen.

The tournament was already in full swing and he was more than eager to reclaim his crown.


	7. Hello Mother

**WINNER**

**YUGI MOTUO**

He watched as the virtual field around him and his opponent dissolved into a stream of pixels as the crowd cheered. Another day. Another victory. While on the outside Yugi was smiling and graciously accepted the praise , inside the puzzle the spirit was not. After being forcefully expelled from the room, the door had once again disappeared. Now the spirit was searching fruitlessly for the door. That last memory…

The spirit shook his head as he turned another corner, his thoughts racing. He needed to find that door. Another dead end. He ran his left hand through his hair, letting out a small grunt of discomfort when the ring snagged some of the gravity defying bangs. He removed his hand and looked at the ring , the sapphires and diamonds giving off faint gleams of light in the darkened hallway. The ring was the biggest mystery. Of all the things in the room, only the ring stayed with him and he couldn't get it off. And the inscription…

Don't Forget Me

They seemed to mock him. Chastise him.

Plead with him…

He desperately wished he could remember. This ring was the only solid link to the disappearing room and the memories stored there. He felt as if he were grasping at straws. So many pieces laid out but he couldn't get a clear picture.

His thoughts were interrupted by a pull calling him. The spirit left the puzzle without making the turn around the corner, completely missing the well…

* * *

Kagome walked through the tournament at a leisurely pace , her bodyguards making sure anyone who could pose to be a danger to her at arm's length. Her new guard, Grant Walker, was a cheery blonde who was good friends with the new maid Dez, a somewhat tall girl with mischievous nature the reminded Kagome of Shippo. Dez liked to walk around the mansion wearing a pair of neko, in hopes of eliciting a smile from her. Just that morning after Kagome was introduced to Grant, Dez jumped out of a tree and landed on the new guys back, putting a pair of ears on him. Kagome snorted silently to herself. The two were odd.

Kagome was brought out of her musings by a small giggle by to her left. The ghostly figure of Shippo walked beside, a huge grin on his face before hopping on Kagome's shoulder. She reached up to gently grasped his clawed hand, seemingly rubbing a kink out of her shoulder to onlookers.

Kahome's phone began to ring. As she fumbled through her purse, her new ringtone blasted through the speakers.

_I was broken from a young age_

_Taking my sulking to the masses_

_Writing my poems for the few_

_That look at me, took to me, shook to me, feeling me_

_Singing from heartache from the pain_

_Taking my message from the veins_

_Speaking my lesson from the brain_

_Seeing the beauty through the..._

_Pain!_

_You made me a, you made me a believer, believer_

_Pain!_

_You break me down, you build me up, believer, believer_

_Pain!_

_Oh let the bullets fly, oh let them rain_

_My life, my love, my drive, it came from..._

_Pain!_

You made me a, you made me a b-

Kagome finally grabbed her phone and answered.

" Moshi Moshi."

Kagome's grip on her device slackened.

"M-mom?"

* * *

Kaiba stood behind Mokuba seated at the command centers controls. Half of the screen was covering the actions of one Yugi Motuo and the other a list of all the competitors. The list shrank and reorganized itself according to daily and overall rankings. Yugi Motuo was at the top of the list, with Kaiba right behind him.

"Don't worry Yugi. You may be ahead at the moment but that'll only make it that much sweeter when I take back my rightful place at the top."

Mokuba tugged at his sleeve to redirect his attention to the screen with Yugi and his loser squad as Wheeler moved towards a familiar head of blue tinted black hair.

"What's the mutt doing?"

* * *

Joey sneezed as his arm draped across Kagome's shoulders but he thought nothing of it.

"Sup, shortstack. Your Kagome right. I'm Joey Wheeler. We met briefly yesterday before moneybags showed up, remember ?"

Kagome looked up the much taller male, thankful that she had the foresight to ask her "nannies" to not attack anyone unless they attacked first. The Shiloh Miko tilted her head to the side and smiled gently.

" Sure I remember you. Sorry about my brother. He's just overprotective. You said your name was Joey Wheeler right? As in the runner up in Battle City. I saw part of your duel on the internet. It was really impressive."

By this time, the rest of the gang had caught up to Joey and were just amazed at how nice Kagome was. She was nothing like Kaiba. At all. While he was tall, frigid and cocky , Kagome was small , warm and mild.

Kagome's guards watched silently a few feet away. The young miss was fine and was in no danger. They would intervene if needed.

Tristan walked up to Kagome's other side and draped his arm across her shoulder along with Joey.

"Hi there. I'm Tristan, Joey's best friend. So, if you don't mind me asking, how come no one's heard of you before."

The two slowly led her to one of the many snack huts in Kaiba Land. It was nearing lunch and that's where they were headed before Joey spotted the female Kaiba sibling. Tea took a seat a large table outside and waited for the trio to sit. Yugi had left to call his grandfather. As Kagome sat, the gang ( Minus Yugi ) noticed one of Kagome's guards take a seat in a table behind her while the other seemed to do a perimeter check. A few minutes later the table was filled with food and everyone was chatting like old friends.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something?"

" Ah, there you are Yug. We thought you ditched us. You remember Kagome, right?" Joey said.

Yugi turned to the girl and held out his hand for her shake.

"Nice to meet you again Kagome." He greeted, a small smile on his face. {AN: Nosebleed. " Must resist. Must resist fangirling over uke. " looks again. " I can't!" faints from bloodloss}

She seemed to hesitate before grasping his hand firmly and shaking it.

" Nice to meet you again, too.

At that same moment the spirit left the puzzle to stand beside Yugi to figure out what had called him. Yami felt the ring grow warm and felt the urge to stroke Kagome's long hair.

"Miss Kagome. It's time to go. Master Mokuba is looking for you."

Kagome nodded.

" Bye you guys. I hope we can speak again soon."

With that she left with her guards. The gang watched as she walked off. Still amazed by the stark contrast between the elder Kaibas. The silence was cut by Tristan.

"You think she'll go on a date with?"

Smack

* * *

Kaiba walked up the steps of the Higurashi shrine at a sedate pace. Once at the top, he briefly looked around before knocking on the door of the main house. The door was opened by a short woman resembling Kagome.

"Ah, Seto. You're early. How are you dear?"

Seto let his mask drop to grace the woman with a smile normally reserved for his siblings.

"I'm fine, mother. May I come in?"


	8. Memory Lane

Kaiba sat silently drinking a cup of tea with Higurashi matriarch. The woman who helped raise Mokuba and keep him out of the foster care system. He remembered her husband quite clearly. Toshiro Higurashi had been their social worker when his birth parents had died. But he was more than that. He treated them like they were than just a case or paycheck or a bother. He treated them as his own. He could still distinctly remember Mr. Higurashi bringing Kagome with him to visit and play with the two reclusive boys at the orphanage.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Mr. Higurashi!"_

_The tall male braced himself for impact as a small child with long, bushy raven hair barreled into his legs. Large brown eyes looked up at him with undiluted joy as he hugged the man's legs tighter. Kindness that only a parent can show a child shined in the man's icy blue eyes._

_"How are you doing today, Mokuba ?" , the man asked, gently patting the boy's unruly locks._

_" I'm fine. Did you bring Gome-chan again?"_

_The social worker let out a light hearted chuckle. Of course. His little girl had made fast friends with Mokuba and Seto._

_" I believe she went to look for your brother out back."_

_The words hadn't even finished his lips when the boy took off in search of his brother and friend._

* * *

_He paid no mind to the simpletons running around the fenced off play area behind the orphanage as he read his book. They meant nothing to him, no more than a bother to him. And they were of no longer of any threat to Mokuba. His brother was his only friend he had and nee-  
_

_Thump…_

_Correction. His brother and the ever clumsy Kagome Higurashi. As he laid sprawled out on his back, looked carefully and the girl now sitting up on his stomach. Large blue eyes framed by long lashes were slightly pinched in pain as the girl rubbed her sore forehead through the blue tinted black bangs she'd inherited from her father. He cleared his throat, startling the girl before a huge grin broke out on her face._

_"HiSeto-kun!Howareyoudoing?Whyareyououtherebyyourself?Wh-"_

_Seto calmly slapped a hand on her mouth before she could continue her babbling. Ice and sapphire watched each other as Kagome started to relax and Seto idly wondered why she was there._

_"Kagome, would you get off of me now? And why are you here? You usually visit on Fridays. Today's Tuesday._

_The girl ignored his request and beamed at the downed boy brightly. A faint, very faint, blush arose on Seto's cheeks at this._

_"Cause papa said you're getting adopted! That means you can leave the orphanage and have a home and visit us wh-"_

_"Me and Mokuba are getting adopted?"_

_"Yeah! By some guy named Gozu-something Kaiba!"_

* * *

 

_Two Years later_

_A fourteen year old Seto Kaiba held on tightly to the now twelve year old Kagome as she broke down, tears streaming down her face as she watched a casket be lowered into the ground. His eyes burned as tears threatened to spill but didn't fall. He would remain. He held an umbrella over the both of them as heavy downpour further added to the sadness. Seto watched with a heavy heart as Kagome's mother walked around the open grave towards her child to comfort her, catching the woman off guard when he lifted an arm towards her. Her face finally cracked from its calm mask of mourning before she accepted the silent invitation and started sobbing along with her daughter. Mokuba and Souta both clung to each other under an umbrella held up by a younger Romario._

_No one saw the accident but the police had ruled out a homicide, stating that the car crash was due to the break lines snapping when the slippery roads caused the car to lose its grip when coming down the steep hill. An unfortunate accident._

_Seto inwardly scoffed. The accident happened last week just before his takeover of Kaiba Corp when Gozaburo was starting to get desperate. The death threw him for a loop and he'd almost lost focus. But now the man was dead and he now owned the company. Seto paid for all the costs of the funeral and visited Kagome's family during their time of grief. He felt it to. The closest person he had to a real father gone._

_Seto's eyes locked on the tombstone as the first shovel of dirt hit the coffin, the two Higurashi females tightening the embrace at the soft thump._

_**Here lies a great father, friend, husband, son and brother in arms.** _

_**While his life may have been cut short, his soul will live on forever more.** _

_**Toshiro Kagame Higurashi** _

_**19XX - 2XXX** _

_End of flashback._

* * *

Up to this day, Seto was positive that the crash was no accident. But enough of the past.

"How's Kagome doing? She hasn't called home in a while and I worry about her."

Mitoka Higurashi asked her "son". After Kagome suddenly flew out of the well one day and couldn't go back through, she'd descended into a deep depression. The girl would sit at her window, clutching her deck and a ring tightly to her chest while staring blankly at the well house. And no matter how much she pried and pleaded with her, Mitoka couldn't get her little bird to leave the cage she'd made for herself. So she called Seto to take her from the shrine, the well house and Tokyo all together. Away from the painful memories. Kagome was only 16 going on 17 in a few weeks when Seto took her to Domino city and had her living with him and Mokuba. That was three months ago and summer vacation was underway. Yesterday was the first she'd seen her baby girl on the tv, lively and happy but she could still see that same haunted look in Kagome's eyes.

" She's doing better, mother. I-"

Seto stopped to answer his com.

"Yes._You did?_ Alright, I'm on my way."

Seto turned back to Ms. Higurashi to tell her he had to depart when she gave him a warm hug. He'd stiffened at first at the in expected contact but quickly relaxed into the embrace.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

Mitoka looked up into Seto's eyes with a knowing look.

" Of course you will. You love her too much not too."


	9. Lament

Kagome sighed as she sat with Mokuba in the security room at Kaiba World as he scanned through all the camera feeds. Apparently Seto needed to talk to her but got called somewhere else. Kagome believed that it was just an excuse to drag her away from the " Loser Squad". And speaking ( well thinking ) of the group, there they were, still sitting at the table where she left them having what looked to be a heated conversation. She and Mokuba watched intently as Tea proceeded to grip Tristan by the collar and throtttle him for a few seconds before dropping him in a chair. The brunette then turned to face Yugi, a gentle smile on her face. With the tap of a key, Mokuba brought up another feed with Yugi's face filling the screen. Kagome stares at him with carefully schooled features as she spotted the similarities between him and her lost love. Yugi's face was rounder with larger eyes, giving him a more child like features than the strong jaw and sharp eyes she knew. His golden bangs were also slightly less extravagant, lacking the pieces that stood straight up against that star shaped hair. But the most noticeable difference was his height. Yugi was considerably shorter than her beloved. He was but a child, small and innocent and still full of joy.

The puzzle around his neck ast a glare at camera, preventing her from getting a good look at it. At the moment she'd thought it was a replica made from the stone tablet that Ishizu showed Seto and her the day before. Watching the item, she sighed deeply. She suddenly felt a "weight" in her lap. Looking down she saw a small boy with pointy ears, bright green eyes and auburn hair pulled into a ponytail with a large blue bow. He wore a light brown fur vest over a turquoise Happi coat printed with leaves. Blue ballooned hakamas covered his fox legs, a fluffy fox tail sticking out the back of them.

Shippo stared up at his "mother's" face. She was thinking sad thoughts again. She'd been thinking them for a while too, judging from how dull her eyes were at the moment. He wished he could cheer her up somehow. Sure he could still do tricks and illusions and tell jokes, but he was just a spirit bound to a card. He couldn't truly touch her. He couldn't give her a hug or a kiss on the cheek. Couldn't draw her a picture or hold normal two sided conversations like they used to unless she was alone or typing on something. All he could do was stay with her until it was her time. Which he could only hope was a long way off.

* * *

As a spirit of the Millenium Puzzle, he'd walked these halls for years. By now, one would think he'd have the whole place mapped out. And he did, to some extent. But this door…

For the first time since this door first appeared out of nowhere, he'd actually stopped to take a good look at it. The door was made of a smooth, ivory colored wood that felt warm beneath his fingers. It was larger than the other doors in the puzzle and unlike the others, it had a design. Faintly around the border, he could make out old carvings of some sort of characters. He couldn't quite understand them though, unfamiliar with their language. In the center of the door was a dark spot that seemed to have been clawed off. Between each claw mark, her could just barely make out some words of some sort. He quit trying to figure out what it was before opening the door and going inside. Looking around the room, Yami took note of the items still on their pedestals. Before his eye was caught by the painting.

Walking of to the side of the room, he stood before the large portrait. The woman's face was still hidden in shadows but that was what made her all the more captivating. But he didn't want captivating. He wanted answers. He glared at the painting, as if daring it to not give him the answers he so desperately seeked. His eyes locked in on the woman's ring. Looking down at his own piece of matching jewelry, he reached out and touched the painting. He jerked back his arm quickly, surprised when its surface rippled. However curiosity demanded he see where this leads as he touched the painting again. When his fingers disappeared beneath its surface, he felt something tug him to the other side of the painting. With a small noise of shock, he was gone.


	10. Revelations

His body felt sore, as if he had fallen a great distance and landed on a pile of rocks. Opening his eyes, he thought he was in the halls of the puzzle when he saw stairs on the ceiling. However that thought was quickly smushed when he looked down and saw his legs hanging over his body. Quickly, he righted himself on whatever he had fallen into his upside down position on. Looking around he was surprised to that it was some sort of throne he'd landed on. It was carved from a sandy colored stone that was heavily cracked and damaged. Next to it was a smaller stone structure that was completely unrecognizable.

"That's not new." He thought dryly.

Getting off the throne, he walked down the steps and through the large throne room. However, he stopped when he felt a shift in the air. Looking over his shoulder, he was mildly ( it was hard to be truly surprised at this point ) surprised to see that the scenery had changed. He was now standing "outside" in a garden. Stone walkways wound through dessert roses and orchid's. Lillies of different colors and variations hung from trellises in archways while honey suckles climbed ornate pillars. And in the center of it all was an old well. Walking towards the well, he could have sworn he heard a whisper.

" _Do you still not remember?"_

The spirit of the puzzle whipped around, having felt fingers drag across the nape of his neck. But there was nothing there. Turning back around, his wariness turned to shock at the sight of a girl sitting on the edge of the well, her back turned to him. She was wearing was wearing a white dress that reached her knees from what he could see, long blue-black hair covering most of her form. Her legs swung idly in the well, making an empty tapping sound as her feet hit the stones. He started walking towards the well again, cautiously as his thirst for answers was not parched. He never had someone in the puzzle with him. He was it's only resident and to see someone else here was just…

He shook his head and stooped about a foot from the female. Her back was still turned to him, her posture completely at ease as she continued to swing her legs. It seems as though she is totally unaware of his presence.

_"It's rude to stand so close behind someone and not talk."_

Or not. Hearing her voice was like trying to listen through water; somewhat distorted but it had a light, somewhat musical tone to it.

"Who are you?"

The girl's feet faltered at the question before returning to their previous rythm. He couldn't see it but a very sad smile graced her lips. She patted the spot to her right, gold cuffs reflecting his image back at him.

"I'd rather not." He said, rejecting her unspoken invitation to sit. " You still have not answered my question. Who are you?"

" _That's for me to know, and you to remember."_

His eyes narrowed at her response. She was yet another unknown that normally he'd be forced to ponder at but she was different. She could speak. And that was also what made him wary. He'd been alone for thousands of years in his puzzle with no company and now a female suddenly pops up. What triggered this change?

His attention was redirected when she raised her left hand to move a piece of her hair back and he saw it. On her ring finger was the same ring he'd seen the woman in the painting wearing. The match to his own. It made sense now! If he could find out who she was, his own identity would be revealed!

" _Oh! I have to go now."_

He was broken out of his sudden revelation when she leaned forward and fell ( more like jumped ) down the well.

"Wait!" He yelled, rushing forward. He leaned over the well and reached as if to grab her before he lost his balance and he to fell in.

* * *

"Yami…"

The spirit groaned, his "body" sore from the fall.

"Why are you on the floor?"

Yami slowly opened his eyes, realizing that he was, in fact lying on the floor. With a silent heave, he pushed himself into a sitting position. His eyes connected with Yugi's, which were filled with relief.

"What's wrong, aibou?"

"You were gone all day. I thought you'd moved on or something. I couldn't even get int the puzzle."

The spirit of the puzzle was surprised and looked up at Yugi's skylight to see the moon high in the sky. He hadn't even realized he was in the puzzle for so long. The spirit said nothing as his gaze shifted to look at the ring on his finger. He brought his hand closer to look at the piece of jewelry before stroking the engraving.

"Yami, you ok?"

The spirit just nodded, reading the words etched into the precious metal.

_Don't Forget Me_

"I promise," he thought, " I will remember."

* * *

Kikyo sat silenly next to Kagome as she slept. The ghostly female was stroking the girl's hair even though neither could truly feel the motion. Her movements paused when she heard someone open the bedroom door. She looked up to see the eldest Kaiba walk to check in on his sister. She watched silently as he pulled the covers up on her shoulders and stroked her head before gently kissing her forehead. He put something on her dresser before leaving again. When the door clicked shut, Kikyo saw Sesshomaru appear, leaning back on said door.

"He reminds me of a certain ice prince, doesn't he Lord Sesshomaru?"

Golden eyes narrowed before the owner walked across the room to sit on the opposite side of the bed. Sesshomaru sat quietly with the two mikos as the rest Kagome's companions left the deck to sleep on her oversized bed as they did each night. Shippo phased through the blanket to snuggle into Kagome's chest while Kilala took a spot next to her on the pillow. Mirouku leaned against a post by the footboard with Sango sitting sideways in his lap. AhUn curled up around Rin who currently suffocating Jaken in a hug at their lord's feet. Kouga and Inuyasha briefly glared at each other before settling on either side of Kagome, with Inuyasha leaning his head on Kikyo's shoulder. Everyone watched the girl who brought them together silently before Sango spoke.

"Is it wrong to wish that she'd never come back from  _there_? She'd at least be around those who understood her pain."

The quiet recontinued as all pondered over this.

Would Kagome have been happier if she'd stayed  _there_?

"Her pain is something no one can truly understand. But as long as she has us, we can at least help ease that pain. Even if we know it'll never go away." Kikyo stated, reminding everyone just how much she lost. "And who knows, maybe she will find love a third time. Isn't the saying " _Third times a charm_." She continued, eyeing a picture with Kagome hugging a blushing Seto.


	11. Kagome, Kagome The Bird in the Cage

" _Ka-go-me? What does it mean?_ "

* * *

Blue eyes blinked slowly as the mind slowly roused its body from slumber. Her dream replayed over and over in her mind. Kagome sighed as she slowly sat up and looked over to the far side of the room to see only a sliver of silvery light coming through the curtains of her balcony. With quick and quiet movements, she climbed out of her bed without disturbing her bedmates, completely ignoring the digital clock that read 3:25am. Padding silently out the glass doors she sat in a soft hanging basket chair on her balcony as she stared up at the moon, full and bright in the sky. Bringing a knee up to her chest, she reached up as if to grasp the moon, watching as the crescent charm on her bracelet lined up with the glowing rock in the sky. Sad eyes watched her as she started to sing.

_Kagome kagome_

_The bird in the cage,_

_When, oh when will it come out_

_In the night of dawn_

_The crane and turtle slipped_

_Who is behind you now?_

Tears streamed down her cheeks, glistening tracks tracing the same paths they've taken many times before.

* * *

" _It means… lost."_

* * *

Kagome laughed as she was dragged through the tournament by Mokuba as they tried to lose her bodyguards. Grant was keeping easy pace with them and the ducked through the crowds. They finally lost him when they jumped onto a tour bus for Kaiba Land. The two giggled as the head of blonde hair grew smaller in the distance, ignoring the stares of the other passengers. Several minutes later they hopped off in front of the Kaiba Dome and walked in, still laughing at their successful evasion of their glorified babysitters. The two strolled at a leisurely pace as duels happened all around them, Mokuba pausing to check whenever his tablet alerted him of Yugi dueling. The tablet buzzed for a fourth time that day when Mokuba bumped into someone while checking it. Before he could fall to the floor, he was grabbed by his collar and held over a thuggish looking males head.

"Oi! Watch where you're going runt. You could've damaged my deck. You gonna have ta pay for that." The male said, cocking his fist back.

"Would you be so kind as to release my brother, he didn't mean to bump into you. It was an accident." Kagome said, looking up at the taller male. Curse her 5"3 frame!

"Why should I? Ay, ain't you the Kaiba girl?" He lowered Mokuba to grab Kagome's upper arm. "You kinda cute. How about you hang with me for the day."

Kagome smiled evenly at the male, her face betraying nothing. " As _flattered_ as I am by the offer, I'd rather stay with my brother. You know, lots to do when running a tournament." She completely ignored the crowd forming around them.

"Sorry, no can do. You see, somebody gotta pay for bumping into me. And I'd rather not have to hit a _lady_." He said, his words making Kagome retch on the inside. Was chivalry and decent manners a dead thing amongst this generation?

"How about a duel then? How often can someone say they beat a Kaiba at something? I'll even consider your generous offer if you win." She said, holding out her hand to shake.

"You got yourself a deal." He said, not bothering to return the gesture. Kagome merely shrugged before stepping onto a duel platform. The hologram projectors activated, displaying their life points.

**_Kagome: 4000_ **

**_Dirk: 4000_ **

"I'll start things off. I summon Summoner Monk in Attack mode." A card appeared on the field before a elderly blue skinned man wearing a purple cultic outfit completed with pointed hat appeared. "I place two cards face down and end my turn."

Kagome watched her hand carefully before summoning her first monster.

* * *

All around the tournament, duelist and spectators alike stopped to watch the only female Kaiba show her mettle. If Seto Kaiba was the former king, would the male her princess? Or was she merely a pauper?

Ghostly eyes watched with distracted interest as a boy carrying a chain and sickle appeared on her field.

* * *

Kohaku didn't even blink when he was summoned, mask firmly in place as he stared down the "hologram" ( what strange things the future had ) on the opponent's side. He'd never said much to Kagome ever since he'd been bound to her cards. Not because he dislike her. No, he actually admired her for taking care of his sister and trying so hard to save him while he'd been under _his_ control. The reason he never slept in her bed like the others or spoke with her was because he felt unworthy. He had played such a big part in Sango's pain and by extension, he caused her pain. He owed her a life debt that could never be truly paid off. And so he fought for her. And he would never complain. Even as his "body" moved to cut his enemy in half and exploded in a shower of fake glass, he didn't complain. Even when the face down card flipped over to stab him with swords, not a peep. Even when he appeared in the dark void of the graveyard, not a single complaint. Because he didn't want to complain. He knew that he couldn't feel the pain, but she did. If she thought he felt pain, she'd stop dueling on their behalf. He'd never take that from her. It was one of the few things she had left of him. He would never take that piece of light from her. None of them would.

* * *

"I summon Inu Boy and the Lord of the West in attack mode." Kagome yelled as Sesshomaru walked gracefully out of his upright card. His arms were folded in his sleeves as he glared at the hulking zombie across the field from him. Inuyasha smirked at his enemy with his arms crossed and sword sheathed at his side. Both had 2500 attack points though their opponents monster had them beat at 4000. Neither were worried, having total faith in Kagome's abilities.

"Ha!" Her opponent yelled. "How you gonna beat me with a pretty boy and a kid with a rusty sword! What, they gonna sneer or give me tetanus!"

Kagome ignored him as she drew a card and looked at it carefully. " No, they're gonna destroy you. I activate the spell card, House of the Moon." A card with a crescent moon flag appeared on the field. " This card raises the attack of both my monsters by 2000 points if they're both summoned during the same turn and are the only ones on my side." Inuyasha grinned ferally as he and Sesshomaru gained the extra attack point, both raising their claws threateningly.

"Not only that, but they can both attack your monster for double the damage!"

"WHAT?!"

Both "monsters" moved without any prompting. Inuyasha didn't even flinch when he stabbed his claws into his chest before swiping at the enemy, blades of blood slicing into it. Sesshomaru was much more graceful but just as efficient with his attack, leaping over Inuyasha's head lash out with his acidic whip before landing lightly on his feet and turning his back on the beast as it shattered, showering him in sparkles.

Kagome watched as her opponent dropped to his knees as his life points to plummeted to a mere 800. She didn't even give him a chance to recover when she spoke. " You have no monsters left and mine can now attack individually. Inuyasha, use Wind Scar to finish this."

Mokuba and everyone one else watching were in awe as _Inu Boy_ unsheathed his sword and it transformed into a giant gleaming fang. Their awe was furthered when his swing unleashed a powerful attack that somehow generated winds strong enough to knock the opponent down despite being a hologram.

Kagome took their awe and used it as a distraction to grab Mokuba and slip out quietly. The two creeped out the back exit of the Kaiba dome before they bumped into a wall.

The wall's name was Seto Kaiba.

And he didn't look to happy.

" _Busted_."


	12. Shortness. It Sucks

_"Curse their diminutive height."_

Kagome and Mokuba were currently being toted through the back halls of the Kaiba Dome, their short statures making it easy for their brother to carry them under his arms. Standing at 6'4 ft, he was tall enough that Kagome's legs were nowhere near the ground. The two hung limply as they were carried to the security room, both dreading the berating they were gonna get once they arrived. Kagome glowered at Kouga as he walked alongside side her with a teasing grin.

"Oooh! Someone's in trouble. I guess dog-breath rubbed off on you a bit too much, eh." He chuckled, nudging her hip even though neither could feel it. " The dog couldn't even follow simple commands like si- OOF!"

Inuyasha's fist magically appeared on Kouga's cheek, "slamming" him into the wall next to him. The wolf prince shook it off and tackled Inuyasha with a snarl. The two landed in the middle of the hall, fighting and clawing at each other like animals. They didn't even stop when Seto walked through them, attempting to rip out each other's throats. Kagome facepalmed in embarrassment despite the fact that no one could see or feel them. Both were decades older than her yet still they acted like pups. It was a shame when two old men bickered like kids.

"Sit." She muttered lowly under her breath as she was carried passed them. Inuyasha crashed heavily onto Kouga, the two being dragged into the ground by the beads of subjugation.

At least those still worked.

The victory was short lived as the trio reached their destination. Kagome and Mokuba shared a look as they were carried inside and the door shut.

Maybe they shouldn't have ditched the bodyguards.

* * *

Yugi and Yami stood side by side as they watched the conclusion of Kagome's battle of the giant screens around Kaiba Land. The rest of the gang stood behind them in awe as the blades of wind decimated her opponent's monster.

"Wow." Joey breathed. " She got some real powerful monsters, don't she." The blues bed rubbed his chin in thought as they watched the field dissolve, the Lord of the West smirking at the camera before disappearing. "I ain't never heard of any of those cards befo' tho'. How she even get ahold of them anyway. They gotta be like what, one o' a kind."

The gang nodded in agreement. The cards were odd. And powerful. Yami's eyes narrowed before returning to the puzzle.

He had some investigating to do.

In a blink, the familiar halls of the puzzle greeted him. He walked with a languidly as he searched out his newest "guest". After he fell down the well, he had to wonder if she had jumped to lead him away or was it some sort of hint. He let his feet carry him as he mulled over his thoughts.

Who was she?

How was she in the puzzle?

What does she know?

He was so absorbed in his thoughts, he almost passed the door when it appeared. He stopped to look at at scratches before walking in. The pedestals were still there and so was the painting. He walked up to the painting and poked it cautiously. He was somewhat relieved when the surface stayed solid and didn't suck him in like last time. He went back to his investigating when he noticed a new addition to the room.

An ivory colored wooden chest was next to the wardrobe where he found the robes. He strides over to it quickly before dropping to his knees and attempted to open it. The chest was locked though. Yami stood and kicked at it before he threw open the wardrobe and started to hunt for the key. He opened several drawers, ignoring the jewelry and clothes he pushed out of the way. He kept opening and closing drawers as he searched, not even noticing when he knocked over a stand with a silver chain with a glowing pink jewel that bounced towards a pair of small feet.

* * *

"-and for the last time! Stop ditching your bodyguards!" Seto shouted.

He watched as his siblings hung their heads in embarrassment at the thorough youngest lashing they'd received. Seto sighed before waving his hand to said bodyguards. They stood beside their charges to await their orders. Taking a seat, he turned his chair around to view a monitor displaying Kagome's duel and the day's rankings so far. He had spent more time looking for Kagome than dueling, dropping him to 3rd place at the moment.

"Get ready to go, we have an announcement in half an hour." He told his siblings and their guards as he spun his chair to face them. " I'll be joining you until the."

Kagome and Mokuba perked up at this. They rarely got to spend time with Seto these days as his obsession with Yugi kept him busy. To have some time, even just a half hour, was great!

Kagome launched herself at Seto for a hug, nearly knocking him and the seat over. Mokuba joined the small pile right after, the two hugging their brother tight.

Time to hit the tournament!


	13. So Many Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dez: I know right! Two updates! In one Day! No Way! I apologize for delays I've just been busy with college. The movies lie. It's not all fun and frat parties. There's not even a frat house. Anywho let's get this show on the road.
> 
> Disclaimer: Dez101 owns none of these Fandoms. If she did, there would be a ton of BL pairings. 'Nough said.

" _It's considered disrespectful to ransack someone's drawers without their permission."_

Yami froze before turning around. Before him was the girl from earlier. Her blue-black hair hung low on her face, obscuring her features. She knelt down to retrieve a jewel before tucking it into her bodice. The girl walked towards the wardrobe and started to neatly put everything back in its place silently, her hand slowing briefly over the garments that were hung in it.

Yami watched her calculatingly as she straightened out the wardrobe and closed the doors gently.

"Who are you?" He asked her, watching as she dropped her arms to her sides.

" _Why don't you tell me?"_ She said, her words still having that distortion from before. She moved to leave the room, walking past Yami again when his hand shot out and gripped her wrist.

Looking over her shoulder, she looked back at the spirit. His head hung low, shadows covering his face. He said nothing as his grip held firm.

" _I have to go."_ She sighed.

"Don't leave. Please. I need to know who you are? Why are you here now when I've been alone all these years?" His voice was barely containing his emotions.

"Who am I?" He whispered.

The girl watched him for a moment before tugging her wrist, relieved when he let go. Gently, she held his hand and led him to the room's doors.

" _Let's find out."_ She said before opening the door. A cold wind blew over them as she led him out the room, the doors shutting themselves with a slow creak.

* * *

It was one of those rare moments that Kagome was glad her _family_ was invisible to others.

" _I don't think I could handle the embarrassment otherwise."_

Kagome stood silently behind Seto as he dueled one of his many self proclaimed _rivals_. Inuyasha and Kouga had resumed their fight once they were back outside and refused to stop their childish antics. The only thing stopping Kagome from using the beads to punish them was the multitude of people and cameras watching her. She couldn't just randomly start repeating sit to herself without looking crazy.

But that wasn't even the worst of it.

Sango decided to try break the two up but ended up beating up Miroku when he groped her rear. Now she was adding to the "chaos" by trying to kill Miroku with her beloved boomerang. Miroku then tried to use Kagome as a shield. It worked to an extent. Miroku screwed up when he tried to grope Kagome and failed due to the inability to actually grab anything. This then led to Inuyasha and Kouga joining Sango in her mission to destroy the lecherous monk. Shippo also jumped in on the attempts at punishment by unleashing his beloved top on the lech.

Kagome just tried to pretend that she couldn't see the pandemonium happening only around her. It just wasn't worth the stress to try stop them when no one else could see them. That didn't stop the sense of relief she felt when Sesshomaru stepped in and caught Miroku before tripping Kouga and Inuyasha. Sesshomaru tossed the slayer her monk roughly knowing she'd catch him. Sesshomaru turned to see Shippo's top head straight towards him. Sesshomaru stared blankly as the oversized toy barreled towards him, his hand outstretched to stop it. The top crashed into his hand, the wood smoking as claws dug into it, slowing it to a stop. The toy toppled over as the deep furrows smoked, Sesshomaru watching it's owner retrieve it with a nervous grin before returning to Kagome's deck.

Kagome smiled gratefully at the demon lord as he folded his hands in his sleeves. Seto's duel finished that same moment, the eldest Kaiba walking up to her and unknowingly standing next to the "Ice Prince". Sesshomaru barely glanced at him from the corner of his eye as he gave him a quick once over. Giving a "Hn" of satisfaction, Sesshomaru disappeared into the deck.

"Tch. These losers keep wasting my time. If I didn't have to battle them to maintain a ranking in the tournament, I wouldn't even bother dueling them." Seto see the difference as he watched his name move to second, just behind Yugi. That damned midget. He created this tournament just to reclaim his crown in the grandest way possible. Seto looked down at Kagome as she started to fuss with Mokuba's hair. Well, that was half the reason for the tournament.

"Kagome. Mokuba. Let's go. It's time for the announcement." Seto said as a circular platform lowered from above behind him. The surrounding duelist watched in awe as the three stepped on and held onto the pole as they were raised into the Kaiba Corp helicopter. Mokuba helped Kagome hold down her skirt as Seto glared at all who dared to look up. No one dared even try take a picture in fear of the repercussions.

Seto Kaiba was not a man to be trifled with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dez: I hope you liked it. I know this sounds pathetic but ( gets on knees and kills all lights except one) PLEEEEEEEEEEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! They make me feel good inside and give me motivation. I like to read them when I'm down because they inspire me. They're like having a bucket of melted chocolate without the calories. Thank you and hope you enjoy. Also, please read my other stories Ninja Love and Chise's Pad foot as well as vote in the poll.


	14. Down The Well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long hiatus. For those who follow me on FFN, you know about my situation Those who don't sorry for not giving a hiatus notice. My friend only had the password for my FFn account. I was not in a good place but I'm back now and hopefully actually will be better. Thank you for the support and happy New Year.

The ride to the mansion was silent as the siblings were each absorbed in their own thoughts. Mokuba tapped silently away on his tablet as he made final adjustments on the holo-screens around Kaiba Land. Satisfied with his adjustments, he activated the camera feature and pointed it at his elder brother.

"Smile Seto!" He said as he counted down to one on his fingers. All around Kaiba Land, holograms of Seto appeared.

"Contestants of my tournament, I am pleased to announce that the battle for #1 is soon to end. In celebration, the Top Ten Ranked Duelists are invited to Kaiba Corps anniversary gala tonight. You will find a digital invitation in your duel disk tonight for those who made the cut. You have until noon to cement your place in the rankings before all others are eliminated." Seto paused, his infamous smirk in place. "It's time to prove your worth as a duelist. Don't disappoint."

With that, the connection was cut. Duelists took note of the giant clock tower that suddenly chimed eleven times.

They had only one hour left.

Seto continued to smirk as pandemonium spread through the park as Duelists scrambled to raise their rank. They didn't even realize there was no point. It wouldn't matter as only the best could even reach the list. Sitting back in his seat, Sero crossed his legs as the helicopter zoomed to his private property.

He would have his crown again. Soon.

A buzz from his pocket drew him from his thoughts. Checking his phone, he raised a brow before pocketing the device. Interesting.

"I suggest you two rest once we arrive. The gala is at 9 and I doubt our shareholders will allow us to leave at a reasonable time." He said to his younger siblings. "Kagome, your dress arrived while we were gone. Dez has been assigned as your personal maid and will assist you in getting ready."

Kagome nodded, barely feeling the light thump as the helicopter landed. They were home. The three of them walked across the courtyard at a leisurely pace and went inside. Saying their goodbyes, they each made their way to their rooms.

Kagome yawned, having forgotten how tired her previous night of restless had left her.

" _How does Seto do it?"_

Kagome made her way to her room, opting for a quick shower before she went to bed. Stripping off her clothes, she stepped under the warm jets, her silhouette moving across the frosted glass. The heat easing her muscles and sending her into a more relaxed state, Kagome slipped on an overly large dress shirt she "borrowed" from Seto, the material easily reaching her knees and covering her hands. The young miko climbed under her sheets, allowing her dreams to take her.

* * *

_The lights of the well were all wrong._

_The comforting blue glow she'd grown to love was replaced with harsh, burning gold. That was the first sign the well was broken. The second sign was that when she arrived at her destination, whenever that was, she was submerged in water. Panicked, she immediately began to kick upwards. The weight of her bag was dragging her down but she didn't dare drop it. Her precious memories were in it. Kagome kicked as hard as possible, her lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. The freezing temperature shocked the air out of her and she hadn't thought to hold her breath when she jumped in, the well was always dry._

_Her limbs started to feel heavy as black creeped into the edges of her vision. Her head pounded as she struggled to continue on, the sound of her heart beat thundering in her ears. The surface was so close. Just a...little… further…_

_She blacked out just as her fingers broke the surface, startling a young girl with some sort of staff and a man who was ranting at her._

* * *

Yugi was worried about Yami. His partner was spending more and more time in the puzzle. Was he getting clues to his past in there? Did something dealing with that ring show? He was left with to many questions and not enough answers. Yugi laughed at the irony before looking down at the puzzle again.

What was he doing in there?

Yugi started his walk towards the game shop as the clock tower bonged a twelfth time. Looking at his duel disk, he was unsuprised to see a holographic wax sealed envelope with a silver KC. Opening it, he read the time and location of the gala before sighing.

" _I need to dig out my prom tux. I hope it still fits."_

* * *

Yami, shielded his eyes as he and the woman walked through the doors, the light blinding. Once the light died down, he found himself once again alone. He was back in the garden but there were no plants. The whole area was barren and dry. Yami moved towards the well cautiously and slightly annoyed as he was abandoned by the only person who seemed to have answers. Sand sifted quietly under his feet as he made his way to the well, the air scorching under the blazing "sun". Yami carefully touched the lip of the well before peering inside. Dipping a hand into the well, he was pleasantly surprised to feel cool water on his skin. He cupped a handful and tossed it on his face, feeling the cold droplets for himself for the first time in forever. He let out a chuckle, whether it was amused or something else? He wasn't sure.

The sun dimmed, allowing him to see below the water's surface more easily now without the glare to blind him. His brows furrowed as he spotted a large, yellow object at the bottom. He struggled to figure what the object was, the slight ripples and glare of the "sun" distorting its appearance.

" _You shouldn't lean in so far. You might fall in."_

Yami jumped backwards, just barely catching himself as he slipped on the sand. The girl had appeared in front of him on the well's rim, her legs hanging casually in the water. Yami glared without much heat as he stepped back towards the well.

"Where did you go?" He asked, watching as pale legs shifted in the water but not affecting its movements.

" _Nowhere. I just got... stuck."_ She said, her pause punctuated by the sudden tension in her shoulders.

"Stuck?" Yami repeated.

The girl smiled sadly as she patted the spot next to her, just like the first time they met. Yami stood firm and repeated himself again.

"Stuck?"

The girl's shoulders slumped as she swung her legs out of the water, the limbs perfectly dry. Yami watched a bare foot touched the sand…

_and disappeared._

Her skin seemed to dissipate as she released the well, floating away like grains of sand. Yami, alarmed, jerked her back onto the well. He sighed in relief as the skin slowly pulled itself back together.

" _I can't exist outside of room and this well. They're the only solid memories, as little as you do remember even with them, that you have of me."_

Yami looked at her in confusion. She could only exist in those areas. Yami felt slight pity for her and decided to sit next to her on the well. The two sat in silence as the girl's leg finished regenerating.

"Who are you?" Yami asked.

" _I can't tell you that. You have to find out for yourself."_

"What's at the bottom of the well?"

" _The start of a chapter and the end of the story."_

"Could you be anymore cryptic?"

The girl only smiled as she gently grasped his shoulder and pushed him backwards into the well. His breath was forced out of him by the freezing water, face frozen in shock. His body sank like a stone into the depths of the well as the girl disappeared from sight. His vision grew blurry then suddenly…

black.

* * *

" _M'lady, it's time to wake up."_

Kagome woke with a start and swung her arm out, feeling her fingers graze something. Looking to her right, she saw Dez leaned backwards at an awkward angle. Calming down, Kagome dropped her face. Embarrassed, she mumbled "Sorry" to the maid.

Dez straightened up and waved good naturedly as she moved to the giant walk-in closet for a garment bag. Turning back towards Kagome, she asked, "Would you like a shower or a bath M'lady?"

Kagome huffed as she crawled out of bed and towards her bathroom.

"I'll take a shower. And please call me Kagome." She said exasperated.

"Of course, hime." Dez said with a gentle smile.

"I said Kagome."

"I believe I said that, princessa."

"Stop it."

"Whatever do you mean, principessa?" Dez said with a smirk. Kagome gave a long suffering sigh as she closed the bathroom door on the smirking maid.

Ten minutes later, Kagome emerged from the bathroom to find her entire outfit set out on her bed. Dez was setting out a selection of jewelry to choose from as Kagome dried off. Grabbing a brush, Kagome brushed out her damp hair, the raven locks falling into waves of inky black. Her hand moved mechanically as she watched her reflection in the mirror, tracing scars that existed only in her memories. She only stopped when Dez gently plucked the brush from her hands and led her towards the dress laid out on her bed. The dress was a long sleeve mermaid style gown that trailed a few inches behind her. Kagome couldn't tell if the dress was white or a very pale shade of blue as Dez zipped her into the dress. Stepping back, Dez motioned for Kagome to give her a spin, the material light and airy on her frame. The maid watched Kagome critically, the ears of her headband practically twitching with her stare. Wordlessly, the maid snatched up a pair of snowdrop earrings off the bureau. After putting them in, Kagome was reseated in front of the mirror as her hair was styled into side ponytail and her makeup done.

Dez clasped her hands happily as she finished preparing her charge. She was so beautiful. The maid mentally patted herself on the back for resisting the urge to glomp the shorter female.

"All finished, _madame."_ Dez purred as Kagome stood and inspected her reflection in the mirror. Dez watched as she smiled at her reflection, absently touching her ring finger as she slowly turned in the dress. Flashes of happier times skipped through her head as she took in the pale material. Tearing herself from those memories, she grabbed her clutch and moved to leave.

"Will you ever call me by my name,Dez?" Kagome smiled at her maid as she walked out of her room.

"Will you ever look happy, Kagome?" The maid whispered as the door clicked shut.

* * *

Seto sat patiently next to Mokuba in the limo , his black dress pants contrasting nicely with the white of jacket. His face was set in a scowl that could freeze hell as he read through a merger proposal from another gaming company. On his right was Mokuba, who wore an all black tux. His hair still untamed and the provided ribbon left ignored by his feet. He was tapping away at his tablet as he reviewed last minute details of the gala. The two were so absorbed in their tasks that they didn't notice the arrival of their sister until their devices were plucked from their grasps. Both watched the middle sibling with slack jaws as she fully settled in her seat and placed the tablets beside her. Mokuba was the first to recover.

"Wow, Gome! You look really pretty." Mokuba said as he kicked the ribbon under the bar before Kagome could notice. Kagome pretended not to notice as she smiled at Mokuba. Seto said nothing as he internally plotted on how to keep every unworthy (read all) male out of her space. Mokuba reached over to grab his tablet when Kagome gently smacked his hand with her clutch.

"You need to stop worrying Mokuba. Everything is going to be perfect. You work just as hard as Seto to keep this company running. You just relax and for once just enjoy the fruits of your labor. It's not wrong to stop and smell the roses. You have to enjoy the peace you can get before it's all gone." Kagome whispered as her hand closed protectively around her clutch.

Mokuba stared at her quizzically before nodding and relaxing into his seat. He pulled a PSP out of his pocket and started played a random game, carefully watching his siblings from his peripherals. Seto was watching Kagome wordlessly, his sister now watching as street lights went past as the limo made its way to the gala. He may not be a genius like Seto but he was smart enough to know this. Changes were coming.

And they were coming fast.


	15. A Voice in the Light

Kagome barely stifled a giggle as she watched Shippo ride on Seto's head as the cold male spoke with some of his guests. Rin jumped after the little kitsune but he was too high for her to reach.

" _Hmph! These filthy peasants are unworthy of m'lady's presence. Disgusting human males who dare gaze upon her beauty!"_  Jaken screeched after Kagome rejected yet another male's request for a dance. The little toad swung his staff at the males, the two heads not connecting to any skulls as he was attempting. " _YOU ARE UNWORTHY! NONE OF YOU ARE EVEN OF ROYAL BL-URK!"_

Sesshomaru stepped calmly on his servant's neck as if he hadn't even noticed the kappa. A pitiful whine of  _M'lord_ escaped from beneath his boot as Sesshomaru silently judged everyone in the room. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of star shaped hair entering the ballroom.

" _Hn…"_

* * *

_ Flashback _

_Sesshomaru glared down at the shorter male, his tanned skin shining under the setting sun. Star shaped hair swayed gently in the breeze as crimson eyes stared up at him in apprehension._

" _This Sesshomaru finds your little witch's attempts at humor unamusing." Sesshomaru said as he stood before a dripping Kagome as she shivered on the ground behind him. He raised his hand in the direction of a young brunette, claws shining a poisonous green. "Shall I render her head from her shoulders?"_

_The male balked at the threat, having never seen this white haired man before._

" _Sess-Sesshomaru, that's not necessary. It was just a joke and she caught me off guard. I'm fine."Kagome said as she reached to grasp his sleeve. Sesshomaru held out his arm, the silent invitation obvious. Kagome ducked under his arm and hugged him. "You really shouldn't go threatening them like this." She whispered to him._

" _Hn."_

_The brunette had long scrambled away, knowing better than to stick around. She knew full well that the spirit was vicious on a good day._

_The male, whom Sesshomaru refused to remember his name, stepped forward cautiously and unclasped his cape. "Here Kagome, you must be cold."_

_Sesshomaru heard her try to hold back a sneeze but a second one forced its way out. The male ignored Sesshomaru and wrapped the cape around Kagome's shoulders. He pulled her close and rubbed her to warm her, completely missing the reddening of her cheeks and ears. Sesshomaru ignored the desire to take her back into his embrace._

_He was still a spirit. And spirits were always cold._

* * *

Sesshomaru lifted his foot off the wheezing imp and kicked him across the room, successfully knocking Inuyasha off the stage where he was wrestling Kouga. The hanyou lost his balance due to the blow and dragged the wolf down with him. The two of them landed face first in a position reminiscent to Inuyasha getting sat.

Sesshomaru turned back to Kagome and proceeded to glare as the blonde from earlier led her onto the dance floor. One hand was just above the small of her back and the other held her smaller hand as he attempted to dance with her, Kagome giggling as he fumbled his way through a waltz. Her smile didn't fully reach her eyes though.

But it was a little better.

A tug at his sleeve had him looking down, Rin's large grin beaming up at him. Shippo was still perched on the brunette's, meaning Rin gave up on trying to catch him. Tugging on his sleeve again, Sesshomaru allowed Rin to lead him into the dance floor. Once on the floor, Rin raised her arms above her head. His expression betraying nothing, Sesshomaru lifted Rin into his arms and slowly began to dance with her, the perfect picture of a fatherly embrace.

Kagome watched forlornly, memories of her own father creeping into her mind as she unconsciously reached for her stomach, thoughts of what almost was forced beneath it all. Deciding to distract herself from any further depressing thoughts, Kagome started to make her way across the floor, eyes zeroed in on a familiar head of brown hair. Kagome was halfway across the floor when a hand clasped around her wrist. With a swift tug, she was spun into a set of arms, her back thumping into a firm chest. One arm crossed her chest between her breasts while another wrapped around her waist. Kagome froze as a dark and familiar voice purred in her ear,

"Hello, priestess."


End file.
